Tights and method of making same



Dec. 28, 1954 N. H. GOODMAN TIGHTS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Feb. 16 1953 I INVENTOR. Norman Goodman BY M Z AgbA a ATTORNEYS United States Patent() 'iifirat i'iin' air New York Kiip'lic'iitioh February 16, 1553, SerialNo. 336,932 '6 Claims. ((1 156L177) I This invention relates generally to improvements in a-two-leg ged g arment and ar'nethod of'making the same and, more particularly, to improvements in the type of theatrical garment commonly referred to as tights and a method of *making the same.

One robjct of the present invention is the provision of an improved method of making tights and similar garments from flat blanks knit on a conventional -fullprovisionof improved theatrical tights and similar garmerits which are of full fashioned construction, present an aesthetically attractive appearance, and which are eminently suitable for their intended purpose. a

a The above and other objects, features and advantages pf the present invention will be more fully understood ffointlie following description consideredin connection the accompanying illustrative drawings. Inrhedrawin s; H s i Fig. 1 is a rear perspective view of a pair of fullfashitiiiedblanksprior to their securement to each other; Fig. 2 i's'a rear'p'erspective view of the theatrical tights formed according t'o'the present invention; and Fig. 3 is-a front perspective View thereof. Referringto the drawings in detail, the pair of tights 10 is formed tram apair'of similar blanks 12, the latter being knit in the fiat on a conventional full-fashioned hosierymachine. The flat knit blanks 12 maybe formed ""l'andi'nt'h preferred embodiment ed "or "elas' c nylon which'is also a processed nylon, manufactiiijed 'bythe Duplance'rn ny, said'niaterial being the Since each of f'efred because of its "elastic properties. the knit blanks 12 are similar in all respects the formation of only one of such blanks will be described in detail hereinafter. Each of the blanks 12 have an integrally knit waist portion A, hip portion B, leg portion C, and

foot portion D, it being understood that each of said blanks is knit in the flat and is suitably proportioned on a conventional full-fashioned hosiery machine, and is subsequently fabricated to the stage of manufacture illustrated in Fig. 1. The portions A, B, C and D are initially fiat, being knit in the fiat so as to approximate the wearers corresponding body portions and each of said blanks will be knit so as to have longitudinally extending selvages 14 and 16 at the free side edges of each of the flat blanks. Each of the flat blanks will also be knit to have longitudinally extending separated selvages 18 and 20 at one side of the Waist and hip portions A and B, respectively. From the above, it will be apparent that the knitting operation on the full-fashioned hosiery machine will produce blanks having selvages 14 and 16 at the free side edges thereof and selvages 18 and 20 at one side of the waist and hip portions of said blank. The selvages 14 and 61, are stitched together in any conventional manner to form the longitudinally extending seam 22. After the free side selvages 14 and 16 are stitched together, blank 12 will be formed and will have 2,697,925 Patented Dec. 28, 1954 2 theappearance'shown in Fig. =1, 'with'each of said blanks being of generally tubular configuration 'having closed tubular leg and foot portions 'C and B respectively and tubular waist and hip portions A and B, respectively open at the separated selvages 18 and '20. It "will be apparent from t'he'above that the blanks 1-2, "as shown in Fig. l, *cor'n'pris'e essentially full-fashioned"stockingshaving extending therefrom tubular waist 'and'hi'p .por'tion's A 316d B, respectively open at the separated selvages -18 a'nd T he separated selvages =18and 20 of one'ofth'e blanks 12 are secured, preferably by stitching, to companion'o'r corresponding separated selvages 18 and "20 of 'the'other companion blank to form the knit lgarment or :pair of tights 113, shown in Figs. 2 and -3, having closed tubular Waist,'hip, leg and foot portions A, B5, C and D 'respectively. Thus the :pair ;of companion blanks 12 are formed intothe garment 1 0 by securing the companion se%vages 13 and 20 of the companion blanks to each ot 161'.

If desired, an end portion 24 of the separated-selvages 18 and 20 of the blanks 12 may-be left unsecured in the crotch region and'the crotch insert or piece 26 maybe stitched, or otherwise secured, to said unsecured portion of said separated selvages. Thus the crotch :piece or insert '26 constitutes reinforcing structure at the region of the garment normally subjected to a great amount of wear. The stitching'together of the'selvages' 18 of the pair of companion "blanks 12 will form the seam 18 at the rear of garment 10 and the stitching together of the selvages 20 of said blanks Will'form the seam Zll'at -the frontof said garment, said seams extending longitudinally erjtheg rmenr substantially centrally ofcthe side edges f28 and 30 thereof. It is'to be noted that the longitudinally extending seams 22 ofthe garment row-111 be positioned at'the rearof'the garment and-accordingly will be hidden from 'view when viewing the garment from -the {front thereof. It will be apparentthatfthe'seams 2'2 'will be displaced'peripherally'of the seam 18' andthe seams 18' and 20' 'will constitute theflines of se'c'ur'ernerit between the blanks 12. It is also to 'behote'd thatfth'e 'garrne'rit iil will be laterally symmet'rical 'relative to the longitudinal axis'of said garment. After thefknit-blanks 1'2ar'eu'riited the aforedescrib'ed 'manner a fl'exible and resilientba'nd 34is secured to the peripherallyextendin'g edge 32 the latter being 'fofmed by the peripheral edges 32 er rhe blanks 12 when the latter are united. The band 34Qis adapted tofe'ncircle the wearers'waist and frictionally engage the latter for supporting "the "garment 10 "on the wearer. The only seam -that will be Visible from the front of thegarment is thesearn 20 and'itisto benoted "that seams 22"exte'nd "Ioiigitiidinallypfthe garment for substantially the full length thereof. Although the aforedescribedfmethodhas its primary applicationin the manufacture of the ty'pe-o'f theatrical garmen commonl referred to as "tights, -it is to be understood that said method isedu'allyapplicable in the fabrication of other types of two-legged garments. Since the blanks 12 in the fiat condition are formed on a full-fashioned hosiery machine it will be understood that said blanks may be knit proportional to the wearers body portions whereby the tights 10 will conform substantially to the wearers body and will result in an excellent fit and attractive appearance. The aforedescribed method will yield a skin tight fitting garment which is of full-fashioned construction and presents an aesthetically attractive appearance.

Since the blanks 12 are initially knit in the flat on a conventional full-fashioned hosiery machine, the method aforedescribed is inherently simple and readily lends itself to efficient and low cost mass production.

From the above, it will be apparent that the two legged knit garment or pair of tights 10 will comprise a pair of similar blanks 12 which are secured together in the aforedescribed manner with each of the blanks comprising integral waist, hip, leg and foot portions with the waist and hip portions of each of the blanks being stitched together along lines extending longitudinally of the garment substantially centrally of the side edges 28 and 30 thereof, and each of the blanks will have a seam 22 extending longitudinally thereof for substantially the full length of the garment at the rear thereof. As aforedescribed, in detail, a crotch piece 26 may be secured to the blanks 12 in the region of the lower portion 24 of the separated edges 18 and 20 of the companion blanks.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the present invention without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A method of making a two-legged garment comprising the steps of knitting a pair of flat blanks with each of said blanks having integral waist, hip, leg, and foot portions, and with each of said knit blanks having longitudinally extending separated selvages intermediate the opposite side edges of said waist and hip portions and free selvages at the opposite side edges thereof, securing together said selvages at the opposite side edges of said blanks to form a pair of tubular blanks having closed tubular leg and foot portions open at said separated selvages with longitundinally extending seams positioned at the back thereof, and securing together said separated selvages of one of said tubular knit blanks to corresponding separated selvages of the other of said tubular knit blanks to form a knit garment having a closed tubular waist and hip portion.

2. A method of making a two-legged garment comprising the steps of knitting a pair of flat blanks having integral waist, hip, leg and foot portions, and with each of said knit blanks having longitudinally extending separated selvages intermediate the opposite side edges of said waist and hip portions and free selvages at the opposite side edges thereof, securing together said selvages at the opposite side edges of said blanks to form a pair of knit blanks having closed tubular leg and foot portions and tubular waist and hip portions open at said separated selvages extending therefrom and with longitudinally extending seams positioned at the back of said knit blanks in peripherally displaced relation to said separated selvages, and securing together said separated selvages of one of said knit blanks to corresponding separated selvages of the other of said knit blanks to form a knit garment having a closed tubular waist and hip portion having depending therefrom a pair of closed tubular leg and foot portions.

3. A method of making a two-legged garment comprising the steps of knitting a pair of flat blanks having integral waist, hip, leg and foot portions, and with each of said knit blanks having longitudinally extending separated selvages intermediate the opposite side edges of said waist and hip portions and free selvages at the opposite side edges thereof, securing together said selvages at the opposite side edges of said blanks to form a pair of knit blanks having closed tubular leg and foot portions and tubular waist and hip portions open at said separated selvages extending therefrom and with longitudinally extending seams positioned at the back of said knit blanks in peripherally displaced relation to said separated selvages, and securing together said separated selvages of one of said knit blanks to corresponding separated selvages of the other of said knit blanks leaving an end portion of said separated selvages in the crotch region unsecured, and securing a crotch piece to said unsecured separated selvages.

4. A two-legged knit garment, comprising a pair of similar knit blanks secured together, each of said blanks comprising integral waist, hip, leg and foot portions and being knit to provide longitudinally extending separated selvages intermediate the opposite side edges of said waist and hip portions and free selvages at the opposite side edges thereof, said Waist and hip portions of said blanks being secured together at said separated selvages along lines extending longitudinally of the garment intermediate the side edges thereof to form a tubular Waist and hip portion, and said selvages at the opposite side edges of said knit blanks being secured together to form seams extending longitudinally of the garment at the back thereof and to form closed tubular leg and foot portions depending from said tubular waist and hip portions.

5. A two-legged knit garment, comprising a pair of similar knit blanks secured together to form a closed tubular waist and hip portion having depending therefrom a pair of closed tubular leg and foot portions, each of said blanks comprising integral waist, hip, leg and foot portions and being knit to provide longitudinally extending separated selvages intermediate the opposite side edges of said waist and hip portions for the full length thereof and free selvages at the opposite side edges thereof, said waist and hip portions of said blanks being secured together at said separated selvages along lines extending longitudinally of the garment substantially centrally of' the side edges thereof, and said selvages at the opposite side edges of said knit blanks being secured together to form laterally spaced seams extending longitudinally of the garment at the back thereof in peripherally displaced relation to said lines.

6. A two-legged knit garment, comprising a pair of similar knit blanks secured together to form a closed tubular waist and hip portion having depending therefrom a pair of closed tubular leg and foot portions, each of said blanks comprising a lower tubular part having extending therefrom tubular waist and hip portions, said waist and hip portions of said blanks being secured together along lines extending longitudinally of the garment mtermediate the side edges thereof, and each of said blanks having a continuous seam extending longitudinally thereof at the rear of the garment and in peripherally displaced relation to said lines of securement, the latter and said seams being constituted by secured together free selvages initially provided in said knit blanks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

